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Kaza is the capital of Spiti Valley. Rudyard Kipling
describes Spiti in "Kim" in these words: "At last they
entered a world within a world - a valley of leagues where
the high hills were fashioned of the mere rubble and
refuse from off the knees of the mountains... Surely the
Gods live here.
The valleys of Kullu and Lahaul bound Spiti, locally
pronounced “Piti”, on its south and west; the region of
Ladakh lies to the north and the Kalpa valley lies to the
southeast. Geologically and archaeologically, Spiti is a
living museum. The mountains are devoid of any vegetation
and erosion by wind, sun and snow over thousands of years
has laid bare the rocks. The rugged and rocky mountain
slopes sweep down to the riverbeds giving the landscape a
moon-like appearance.
Best time to visit
April to October are the best times to visit Kaza.
Accommodation
Eleven rooms with attached bathrooms with modern
amenities.
Tariff
For tariff details, click here
Places to visit around the Retreat
Ki Monastery
Ki Gompa, the largest in the valley, is 11 kms. away.
Located above Kaza at the height of 4116m, fine murals and
valuable collection of Kangyur - ancient Buddhist texts
are its attractions.
Gete and Kibber
Gete at 4270m and Kibber at 4205m are known for being the
highest inhabited and motorable villages in the world.
Perched on a vast rocky stretch of land and surrounded by
mountains of limestone rocks, the view from here is truly
breathtaking.
Chandertal
Situated at 4270m, Chandertal is a crystal clear natural
lake that lies in a broad grassy plain. Perched between a
low ridge and main Kunzum range, the lake is a wonderful
camping site and spectacular trekking destination.
Langza-Hikkim-Comic Day trek
A good trek from Kaza is the Langza-Hikkim-Comic circuit
which passes thru’ a virtual treasure trove of fossils,
the highest village at 4460m and highest monastery at
4560m respectively. The panorama as viewed from these
villages is enthralling and inspiring. The high and mighty
peaks can be seen from here in their full glory. The
Chocling La Peak (6510 Mts) is visible very clearly like a
Shivalingam from these villages. A good trek ……peaks can be
seen from here in their full glory. The Chocling La Peak
(6510 Mts) is visible very clearly like a Shivalingam
from these villages.
Dhankar Monastery (3870 M)
Dhankar, the traditional capital of Spiti, is a 30
km/approx 1 hr drive from Kaza. The Hill-top fort here,
that overlooks the Spiti Valley, used to serve as a jail
in earlier times. Today, more than 160 lamas reside
here. A statue of Dhyan Buddha where four complete
figures of Budha sit back to back is the main attraction
of this more than seven-century old monastery. About an
hour’s walk from here on a slightly uphill track is a
small lake that sits languidly is a bowl. The size of
the lake in the summer varies every year depending on
how much snow the catchment area had in the previous
winter.
Pin Valley National Park
Declared a National Park in 1987, Pin Valley is
located in the cold desert region of the Spiti and is
formed by the Pin River. Because of its high altitude
(3500 M to over 6000 M) and extreme temperatures, the
vegetation in the area is scant and mostly dominated by
alpine trees, patches of Himalayan cedar and smatterings
of several medicinal plants. It is the natural habitat
for a number of endangered animals including the Snow
Leopard and Siberian Ibex and rare birds like the
Himalayan Snow Partridge, the Tibetan Snow Finch etc.
Pin is the greenest area in Spiti. But one does not get
that impression while entering the valley from Attargo
on Tabo- Kaza road as the first 10 kms are very narrow
with steep narrow rock walls rising on both the sides.
Most of the villages are along the Pin River, the
largest tributary of Spiti River, with a catchment area
of 2200 sq Kms. The fossil rich soil of the upper
valleys; the carpet of lush green pasture dotted with
sheep, goats, yaks, horses, herds of Ibex; striking rock
faces in myriad hues; snow covered mountains thrusting
up the azure skies; all join to create images that leave
a lasting impression on the mind.
Tabo Monastery (3050 M)
Tabo village is about 46 Kms from Kaza, on the left bank
of the Spiti River. The monastery here- Tabo Gompa, is
referred to as, ‘Chogs-hkhor’ (Doctrinal Enclave). It is
one of the most sacred Trans- Himalayan Buddhist shrines
and is endowed with a wealth of wall paintings and
stucco images. The gompa complex holds nine temples, 23
chortens, a monks' chamber and an extension that houses
the nun’s chamber. On the sheer cliff-face, above the
enclave, are a series of caves, used as dwellings by the
monks. Founded in 996 AD, by the great translator and
teacher, Rinchensang Po, it is the oldest continuously
functioning Buddhist monastery in India and the
Himalayas, with its original decoration and iconographic
program still intact. The Kal Chakra ceremony of Tabo
Gompa, conducted in 1996 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
was witnessed by thousands of people from across the
globe.
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